New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-06-12
DEAD AGAINST THE THISTLE.
FIGURES THAT ARE UNMIsTAKABLE
A TELLING COMPARISON OF THE ENGLISH RACES

TELLING COMPARISON OF THE ENGLISH RACES
THE GENEsTA's RECORD RECALLED
II thcrc Is any virtue In that threadbare OLD
provcrb, figures le," is not at all difficult
to calculate by the putting Of this and that together
that there is at least yacht in this country that
can beat the Thistle The great Scotch cutter mas
now appeared in seven races and has won 1--WE OF
them on actual time. In six of these races she has
had tho Gencsta competitor and twice reached
the finishing line behind Sir Richard Suttons cutter
AS the sailing qualities OF the Genesta has pecn
tested by American yachts 1t is not difficult matter
to mako comparisons between her performances ID
hor contests for the Americas Cup and In her brushes
with the Thistle and in that way-roundabout though
1t may be-mahe fair estimate Of the relative speed
OF the Cyde-built wonder and the Americas Champion
the Mayiiower.
In her maiden race from soutIend to Harwich on
May % the Thistle had a remarkable run OF luck ana
finished Al minutes ahead of the Genesta. This was
far from being fair test because Of the light ana
variable winds throughout and of the fog which en-
veloped tho boats much Of tho time. What htto
VIM thero was came In strcaks and the scotch mug
hunter was the moro fortunate In catching favorable
slants. The forty-hvo mile race of Harwlch on May
30 was another uke the fog being 50 dense that the
yachts wero unable to find the turning buoys The
Thistle was defeated on this OCCASION the Cenesta
getting home II minutes ahead Of her and the Irex
beating both.
Tho first fair trial tho cup challenger had was on
May 81 from Harwlch to Southend, and then she fin
ished first and beat tho Genesta 10 minutes The day
was a splendid one for sailing, the wind blowing
steadily from tho east and tho being smooth:
1t was ono Of tho fastest races ever sailed tho
course the winning boat covering the forty five miles
In hours, minute and 10 seconds. On the ncxo
day tho easterly wind and generally favorable
conditions prevailed and tho Thistle led the racing
1lcct the Thames ty-mile course, from Lower
Hope TO Mouse Lightship and return, this timc I'm
ishing % minutes before tho Genesta
Sir Richard Suttons boat called back for cross
ing tho limo before the starting gun was fired for the
run over the Thames course on Juno and stayed
out Of tho race, but sho hand June 4, when
the course from the Moro to Dover, and beat
tho Thistle minutes 81 seconds. 1t was on this
day that tho Thistlo's weak point was discovered
The wind at tines strong, and while the other
boats carrying a good spread OF canvas she
obliged to strike her topsails and house her
topmast. Tho weather hardly satisfactory for
judging the sailing merits Of tho vessels a. there
were alternate cans and squans greater part oi Inc
six hours III which tho racers were out
In her Last race, over iorty-four mile triangular
made good showing and finished ~ minutes 40
seconds ahead OF the Gencsla There was brlss
wholc-sal breeze ana every thing was favorable lor
good test
only four 10 regarded a. aifordng TAR
opportunity for comparing Tue speed Vi Inc Two
boats. ln one Of these Thistle beat tho Cenesta
10 minutes, In another 20 minutes, and In another
10 minutes 40 seconds. while In ono the Gencsti
beat t4o Thistle minutes O4 seconds In these lour
races then, the Thistle proved herself TO DO on IN
average 10 minutes IL seconds faster than the &C
nesta. Even II the races of May 20 ana 80 DC IN
cluIed which would DO maniiesuy unfair for purposes
OF comparison, average speed OF tho Scotch cutter
Is only IL minutes II seconds greater than that Vi
the English o.
Reference 10 tho contests for the Americas cup In
1883 between tho Gencsta and Puritan recalls the
fact that the Boston "bean-pOt won the first race
over tho regular New York Yacht Club course Dy 10
minutes A seconds actual time and the SECOND,
tweuty miles to lccward from Scotland UShtshlp ana
Iefi In y %
lt Is apparent that she il 9 minutes 20 secoilhs
faster than her English competitor. A ialr IDEA OF
the difference between the speed OF the fuIllan anu
Maynowcr may be obtained from the Time mace ny
them In the triad races Of 1880. In the hfst Ot THESE
contests GnoraI Panes handsome craft covered the
course q minutes 81 seconds quicker than the PURITAN
and i'm the second minutes IA seconds quicker ana
aItoz"thor show ed herself DO minutes 40 seconds
faster the average. ~ ~, ,. ,,.,or
than Inc Cene.ta and the Mayil0wer Is minutes Az
secnd. faster that the Puritan, II Is the easiest SUI.
az u.athcmatic, b add these figures together anu
tbcrby show that tho Mayfower Is IA minutes
seconds faster than tho GcncHta, when mas aio"uy
bcen shown 20 DO only 10 minutes IL secOhus sloNrI
~ tLc Thistle II this reasoning IL apprOAinlatsy
correct lat years successful Americas cup drichucI
ia nearly 4 minutes faster than this year cnalIchsoi
AMI mas safely be relied uIon TO save IL AGAIN.